Former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, who has been sentenced to death by a special court in the high treason case, on Wednesday reacted to the verdict, saying that it was based on “personal vendetta” against him.
Musharraf said that he heard the verdict against him given by the special court on television adding said that there wasn’t an example of a similar case to the one against him where neither the defendant nor his lawyers were given a chance to present their arguments, The News International reported.
Musharraf said that he respected Pakistan’s judiciary and that, similar to Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, he also believed that everyone was equal before the law.
“However, in my opinion, Chief Justice Khosa showed his intentions and his determination to the public himself by saying that he ensured a speedy verdict in this case. How can the judges who gained personal benefits during my tenure issue a judgment against me?”
Musharraf said he will announce his plan of action regarding the case after consulting his legal team.
Earlier, the special court hearing the high treason case against the former president had said it would announce the verdict on December 17 even if arguments of both sides were not completed by then.
The Lahore High Court (LHC) took up Musharraf’s petition against the special court hearing the high treason case against him as well as his civil miscellaneous application that urged the high court to halt the treason proceedings.
On Saturday, Musharraf filed an application in the Lahore High Court (LHC), urging it to stay the proceedings pending before a special court in Islamabad.
Earlier in the month, Musharraf was admitted to hospital in Dubai after he complained of “heart and blood pressure-related complications”. In May this year, Musharraf’s health deteriorated and was rushed to a hospital in Dubai.
In November, a special court in Islamabad reserved its verdict in the high treason case involving Musharraf.
In October, the Islamabad High Court had dismissed a petition that sought deletion of terrorism charges against the former president and transfer of the judges, detention case from the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATS) to the sessions court.
The former President has been seeking deletion of terrorism charges and subsequent transfer of his case from the ATC to the sessions court on the ground that initially the FIR was registered under the Pakistan Penal Code against him in connection with the detention of 60 judges of the superior judiciary after the imposition of emergency on November 3, 2007.
Musharraf was declared a proclaimed offender by a special court in the high treason case.
(With inputs from agency)